“You’re going out there a youngster, but you’ve got to come back a star.”

The Movie: 42nd Street, 1933 (Rian James & James Seymour, screenwriters, from the novel by Bradford Ropes; Lloyd Bacon, dir.)
Who says it: Warner Baxter as theatre impresario Julian Marsh
The context: Marsh gives a last-minute pep talk to Peggy Sawyer (Ruby Keeler), a last-minute replacement for his show’s leading lady (Bebe Daniels)
How to use it: High-pressure encouragement.

My friend John Erath does a funny routine based on this exchange, the oldest of all show-business cliches:

"Do ya know the lines?"
"No."
"Do ya know the songs?"
"No."
"Do ya know the routines?"
"No..."
"Yeah, but can ya do it?"
"I'll try!"

And this is the secret of life, I think. No matter how much book learning anyone has, the first time you actually do anything, you're always faking it. I learned to ride a bicycle when I pretended to a neighborhood bully that I already knew how.

Happy anniversary today to my sister Kathy and her husband Adam, celebrating their 18th. Today we're throwing a party for my parents' anniversary, which is tomorrow. All the siblings are here, except for our brother James, trapped in Florida for work. We'll miss you a lot, James.